The Eugene V. Debs Foundation will present the Debs Award to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Oct. 25.
Sanders, an independent from Vermont, is serving his fourth term in the U.S. Senate after winning re-election in 2024, making him the longest serving independent member of Congress in American history.
A longtime Debs supporter, Sanders produced one of the first documentaries on Debs. He has consistently mentioned Eugene Debs as one of his political heroes, along with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, all celebrated for “standing with working families.”
Sanders has been one of the most influential voices for economic and social justice in America, the foundation said. He has consistently fought for universal health care, a living wage, tuition-free college and stronger labor protections.
Throughout his career spanning decades, Senator Sanders has embodied the spirit and conviction of Eugene V. Debs, championing the rights of working people, challenging corporate power and envisioning a more equitable and democratic society, according to the Debs Foundation.
Debs was born in Terre Haute, and his home on the Indiana State University campus is now a museum of trade union and socialist memorabilia.
Sanders will be honored Oct. 25 at a banquet at the Terre Haute Convention Center, 800 Wabash Ave. The event is sold out.